Many battery-powered electronic devices can be operated using an alternating current (AC) source converted to a direct current (DC) voltage by way of a suitable power adapter. This allows the user to make use of “house power” to operate the electronic device, thus avoiding the need to constantly be attentive to the discharge state of the battery. Many battery-powered electronic devices also include a battery charging unit that charges the battery while the electronic device is coupled to the alternating current source. This provides a convenient means of charging a depleted battery while operating the electronic device.
Many power adapters used with portable electronic devices generate a noticeable amount of heat during the conversion from AC to DC. Thus, when the power adapter is placed external to the electronic device, the user may notice that the power adapter is warm during the operation of the device. As electronic devices continue to increase in capability, the devices tend to require larger and larger amounts of DC current. Further, as many portable electronic devices as well as their attendant power adapters continue to decrease in size, the smaller-sized power adapters may become increasingly warm to the touch as the adapter is required to dissipate increasing amounts of heat.
Although power adapters can be designed to safely operate at an elevated temperature, many users are likely to assume that the power adapter is functioning improperly if the power adapter feels warm or hot when touched. This inclines many users to return their power adapters to the manufacturer even though the adapter is functioning well within its operating specifications. These false returns represent an increased cost to the manufacturer, which invariably is passed on to the consumer in the form of more expensive battery powered electronic devices and their attendant power adapters.